Filmstar Rajinikanth’s political party will arrive in new year

CHENNAI: Tamil film superstar Rajinikanth announced on Sunday that he will launch a political party, ending months of speculation about his future, prompting a series of congratulatory messages from some of India’s biggest celebrities, and sending his fans across Tamil Nadu into a celebratory frenzy.

The 67-year-old, who had last week promised a “big announcement” on December 31, said his party would contest the next

assembly polls in the state and field candidates for all 234 seats.

“I am joining politics for sure,” he said amid thunderous applause at a packed Sri Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam in Chennai. Quoting a shloka from the Bhagwad Gita that stresses the importance of doing one’s duty and leaving the rest to God, he added: “It is the compulsion of time.” Tamil Nadu has a long history of members of its film industry turning to politics. Three of the state’s longest-serving chief ministers over the last 60 years – M Karunanidhi, MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa – made the transition from films to administration.